Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-04-30
Washington Letter.


From our regular correspondent:
What the President is reported to have said
TO western Senator mir Vest, Of MissourD,
has been. the chief topic OF conversation here
for the past two days, and has fer tie moment
fixed public attention on the question of q
reuon.nntion and reelection In 1883, What
ever the President may have said to the SEN
ator from Missouri, whether he said any
thing or not, what Mi. Vest said on the sub
ject, and what either OF them meant or in
tended by their alleged ntterances will con-
tlnue 10 be source OF comment and discus
sion until tho nomination Of 1888 is a thing OF
the past.
1t was dnli time and the publication that
the President would not accept a renomlna-
ton was startling, and naturally produced
a slight sensation, or at least subject of
common talk. Every body had something
to say about IL, but every body with expert
enee enough TO know how these things are
done, and to be able to distinguish between
the probable and the impossible, said praeti-
cally what Senator Vest and Col Lamont
have since stated, namely, that they do not
believe that Mr.. Cleveland is working for q
second term, or that he has any great desire
for one, but that he will probably wait until
he is asked before he either accepts or de-
olines, and that the time for discussing the
matter has not yet arrived.
Senator Vests explanation OF the matter is
that he was not correctly quoted, but he
thinks this great newspaper oak must have
sprung from little acorn which he dropped
In conversation with some friends at Cham
pertains few days ago. These friends were
opposed to Mr.. Cleveland and declared that
he was working Tor a denomination, while
they mentioned several acts of his as proof oil
the accusation. Mr.. Vest remembers that he
demurred very positively, and replied that he
knew that President Cleveland did not want
a second term, that he was working for the
purpose of leaving the Government In such q
shape that any good Democrat could be
elected. He thinks too that he added, by
way OF Strengthening his authority, that the
President told him SO himself
Public attention Is now concentrating upon
the National Drill which takes place here
next month. Fortunately the city will be
out In all her vernal glory in the month q
May. The foliage of 10000 trees will shade
her long, broad, smooth streets. The parks
circles, triangles and other open spaces viii
be in fall bloom of flowers and varigated
shrubbery. No city in America can com
pare with Washington and Its surrounding
In the month of May, and 1t Is then that its
architectural grandeur is seen to the best ad
vantage. The city presents the spectacle OF q
magnificent National Park interspersed with
vast public buildings, monuments, statuary
and handsome private residences, all Dor
dered by the placid Potomac.
And Washington IL to be merry In other
ways during the month of flowers, as the fol
lowing calendar OF events will show. The
races will take place in May; Patti will sins
in May; Forepaugh's circus will come; the
National Association OF Hotel Proprietor,
will meet here; the reunion OF the Army o.
the Cumberland and the unwilling of the
Garfield statue will occur; some other reun
ions are to take place, and last but most i'm
portant the grand encampment Of citizen
soldiery which will commence on the 23rd o.
OF My and close on the S0th, Decoration
Day.
Preparations fer the Drill are going briskly
forward. The grounds around the Washing
ton Monument, on which the city of tent,
will be spread, is being put In condition FOL
the camp, and the level ellipse, half mile IL
circumference. where the Drill will be held
Is being surrounded by grand stand fol
spectators. This ground lies between the
Monument and the White House, and Il
known as the " White Lot" Here the infan
try, cavalry, artillery and zouave tactics will
be tested daily, and each evening there vii
be grand brigade dress parade, while OF
Governors Day will be the great parade
The Chief Executives Of large number o
States will then review with the Preslden
all OF the troops in procession.
About hundred organizations, from tin
various States, will take part In the contest
and the indications are that there will be al
immense concourse of visitors from all part
! OF the country TO witness the novel event
There will be distributed S20,50O In casl
prizes, besides other prizes, such as gold
silver and bronze medals, special medals
, plate trophies and stands of coiors.